Recent Traffic Law Passed by the Lagos State Assembly

This Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a bill for a law
to repeal and re-enact the road traffic laws and to make provisions for road
traffic and vehicle inspection in Lagos State.

The new amended traffic law which was passed last week includes the following
provisions:

I.Driving in a direction prohibited by the road traffic
laws (that is driving against traffic, popularly known as
‘one way driving’) now attracts a three-year jail term, while a first time
offender gets a one-year jail term; with the vehicle used for this breach being
forfeited to the state government.

a.Bullion
vans are not exempted from the law as any bullion van driven in a direction
prohibited by the road traffic law will be forfeited to the state.

II.Abandoned vehicles on the highway
will be (a) fined N50,000.00 (b) their owners will be imprisoned for three
years or (c) the owners will be both fined and imprisoned.

III.Riding a motor-cycle against traffic or riding on the
kerb, median or road setbacks will attract a fine of N20,000.00 for first
time offenders, while subsequent offenders will be fined N30,000.00 or
the rider’s motor-cycle will be impounded.

IV.Smoking while driving will attract
N20,000.00.

V.Failure to give way to traffic on the left at a
round-about will attract a N20,000.00 fine.

VI.Disobeying traffic controls
will attract a N20,000.00 fine.

VII.Violation of routes by commercial vehicles
will attract a N20,000.00 fine.

VIII.Riding motor-cycles without a crash helmet will
(a) attract a N20,000.00 fine (b) three years imprisonment or (c) both a fine
and imprisonment for the rider and his/her passenger.

IX.The law prohibits under-aged persons (below
eighteen years old) from riding a motorcycle and imposes a fine of
N20,000.00 for breach of this requirement.

X.Operating a motor-cycle in a restricted area or
prohibited route will attract a fine of N20,000.00 or the rider’s
motor-cycle will be impounded.

XI.Any person driving without a valid driving license
will have his/her vehicle impounded.

XII.Learning drivers without a learner’s permit
will receive a fine of N20,000.00.

XIII.Driving with a fake vehicle plate number
will attract a fine of N20,000.00 for first time offenders, along with six
months imprisonment or both imprisonment and a fine for subsequent
infractions.

2 comments:

Personally, I am not against the enactment of stricter laws for traffic offenders. But the law recently obviously lack a lot of deep thinking.1. Raising the fine too high simply leaves any offender no choice than to negotiate with the already corrupt LASTMA officials.2. Why should I be fined for neglecting my health[I am referring to law VIII. That simply means another round of extortion from hapless passengers in the hands of Traffic officials.I believe a lot of input should be gotten from the larger community before People who do not commute on a daily basis, and who are never tried and will never be tried for traffic offences due to their status are alowed to pass laws for those directly afected.